Cushioning device for automobiles and other vehicles.



R. H, RICE. GUSHIONING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILBSIND OTHER VEHICLES- APPLIOATION FILED OCT. 12, 1908.

9 1. :H 18 1 y n M 8 d2 w n Lw a P wihmoazo R. H; RICE. GUSHIONING DBVIGE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 12, 1908.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented May 11, 1909.

swuzntoz a amen of the United States,

. bar, of aportion. of an automobile running gear embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a concave inner face 17. which forms a seat through the cushion to the vehicle body, but

' U ITED ra ians? orr cs.

RHODOLPHUS s ates, or

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN;

Q'IISHIOIN'ING- D EYIGE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RHonoLm-ws H. R1011, I residing at Milwaukee, in the county'ofMil-waukee and Sta-teof Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Cushioning Device for Automobiles and other Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lmprovements in cushioning devices for automobiles and other vehicles. I

The object of my invention is to provide a pneumatic cushion in which the first shock. communicated through the-axle bar from the .wheel will not be directly transmitted will be exerted 'to compress a body of an and the excess pressure distributed and diffused so that the body of the vehicle will be only slightly aflecte In the following description, reference is'had to the accompanying drawings, in which-.-

Figure I is a detail rear elevation, partially in'verticalseetion on the line of the axle cross sectional view drawn on line w-w ofv Fi 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the, body supporting frame bar. Fig. 4 is a view onthesame line as Fig. 2, showing springs. employed as a substitute for the pneumatic cushion ring. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing cushion employed as a substitute for springs shown'in Fig. 4.

Like parts are identified'b the same reference characters throughout theseveral views. The automobile axle bar 1 and wheel 2 may be of any. ordinary construction. A frame bar 3, from which the body is supported, is provided with downwardly extending arms 5, having a yoke 6 which straddles the axle bar 1, with arms 7- on each side extending substantially parallel with the axle bar but preferably in a lower plane.

A frame 9, mounted upon the axle bar, is provided with a guide ring 11 having an anuularchannel 13 in its inner face, in which a vibratory reinforcing rin 15 is seated. This ring 15 hasa cylin rically for a flexible pneumatic cushion rin 19, which also encircles the axle bar, the latter being provided with a seat 21 clamped to the axle bar 1 and upon which the pneu-.

p cificat n Let rs retent- Arplieation and October 1;, 1908. serial No. 457,247.

matic cushion ring 19 rests. The horizontal Patented May 11, 1909.

arms 7 of the frame bar 3 are supported from the inner surface of the ring 19 below the axle, by a metallic member 23 provided with shoulders 25 which form rests for these arms, and may if desired. be formed integral with the arms 7 and the bar 3. This member 23 is directly supported by the cushion ring 19, bein i hung in the lower portion of 'such ring an the entire weight of the vehicle body is en ported from these members 23 and is app led through such members to the ,lower portion of the cushion rings, the load being thus suspended from the members 21 and the axle, while-the stress of such sus-" pension is borne by the encircling ring 15 which prevents the cushion ring 19 from distendmg vertically. The down pressure of the load upon the lower portion of the ring 19,"however, tends to com ass the confined air and produces an e ua up pressure upon the upper portion 0 the .encircli ring 15 which tends to lift the latter-to the same extent that the load in the lower portion tends to depress it.

The yoke 6 of the frame bar 3 is preferably' provided with vertical slots 27 in its respective arms in which pins 29 on'the axle bar are entered and serve as guides. To prevent a rotation of the frame bar about the axle bar, the arm 5 is provided with a lug 31, which extends between guide lugs 33 on the. ring 11. i

It is not material to my invention whether the body of the vehicle is mounted directly u on the horizontal portion of the bar 3 or w other itis' supported therefrom by springs.

It will, of course, be understood that the cushioning devices are duplicated at the respective ends of the axle bar.

' lVi-th the described construction, any sudden shock received by the wheel and transmi'tted to the axle bar will produce an n ward pressure" upon the seat 21 and t e upper portion .ofthe ring 19. The force is then exerted in part to expand the neutral portions of the ring, in part to lift the ring 15 and in part to increase the upward pressure upon the member 23 and arms 7. The shock is therefore diffused, causing but slight and gradual movements in the body of the vehicle. 1

'It will, of course, be understood that if esired, springs may be employed in substitution for the pneumatic cushion, or the cushioning devices whether pneumatic or bar mounted upon said member and movconnection: with the axle bar as shown inFig. 5.

- vided with a channel in its inner surfa'cem not may be independent'above and below Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and-desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a vehicle, the combination with the axle bar, of a pneumatic cushioning ring encircling the axlebar and supported therefrom, a member seated in said. ring below the axle bar, and a body supporting frame able independent of the axle.

2.-In a vehicle, the combination with the axle bar, of a pneumatic cushioning ring encircling the axle bar and sup orted therefrom, a member seated'in sai ring below the axle bar, and a frame bar mountedupon saidmember, together with. a reinforcing ring encircling f theTcushioning rin and bearing upon its periphe and a i e ring supported from the axle ar, an provided with a channel in its inner surface 1n which the reinforcing ring engages;

3( Ina vehlcle, the combination with the axle bar, of a pneumatic cushioning ring encircling. the axle bar and supported therefrom, a member seated irrvrsaid ring below the axle bar and a body "supporting frame bar mounte uponsaid member and movable independently of the axle, said frame bar beingforkedand having guide bearing the respective sides of; the axle bar.

4:. In a vehicle, the combination with the axle bar, of a pneumatic'cushioning rin en- 'circling th'e axlebarand supported t erefrom, a member; seated in said ring below the axle bar, and a frame bar mounted upon said member, together with a reinforcing ring encircling the cushioning ring an bearing upon its periphery, and a guide ring supported from the axle bar, and prowhich the reinforcing ring engages, said frame bar having vertically Slldlflg connection with the iris ring and axle bar.

5. In a vehicle, the combination with the axle bar, a support connected therewith, of a pneumatic cushioning ring provided with a metallic peripheral covering, and having its upper portion hung upon said support,

and a body supporting frame member seated in the lower portion of said ring and vertically movable independently of the axle, said frame member having a vertically sliding bearing upon the axle. Y

6. In a vehicle the combination with the axle bar, a support connected therewith, of a pneumatic cushioning ring provided with a metallic peripheral covering, and having its upper portion hung upon said support,

and a body supporting frame member connected with the lower portion -of said ring. 7. In a vehicle, the combination with the axle bar, .of a raised segmental member mounted transversely thereon, a pneumatic cushion ring encircling the axle and having its upper portion seated upon said member another se mental member unconnecte with the ax e and seated in the lower poi tion of the ring, and a body supporting frame member mounted upon said last mentioned member;

8. In a vehicle, the combination of a body supporting frame member, a pneumatic cushion encircling the axle, and suspended from theupperportion thereof with the lower portion of said cushion hanging free from the axle, and having a supporting connection with the-frame member. I v I 9, In a vehicle, the. combination with the axle bar, of a pneumatic cushionin rin en circling the1..axle and supported t erefrom,

a body supporting member seated in. the

lower ortion of said ring, and movable indepen 'entlyof the axle, and a bodilymovable reinforcing member supporting the outer surface of the cushioning ring.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

v RHODOLPHUS H. RICE. VV'tnesses F. A. Orro, MARY Common. 

